Sometimes, the use of AI comes at a price, such as the recent occurrence with the food delivery industry when a certain Reddit post, now deleted, went viral since it accused companies of mistreating drivers.
While the post is confirmed to be AI-generated and not real, the bigwigs or the executives of the food delivery platforms involved have broken their silence, denying the allegations.
‘Completely made up’
There’s Uber Eats’ chief operating officer Andrew MacDonald, calling the allegations “completely made up.” A company’s COO manages the daily operations and internal functions, reporting to the CEO, and focusing on executing strategy and ensuring efficiency.
MacDonald wrote online, “I am responsible for Uber Eats. This post is definitively not about us. I suspect it is completely made up. Don’t trust everything you read on the internet.”
Completely agree!
Even DoorDash issued a statement via the CEO Tony Xu, who posted on X, formerly Twitter, “This is not DoorDash, and I would fire anyone who promoted or tolerated the kind of culture described in this Reddit post.”
Xu also denied the allegations.
The implications
But the damage has been done, and the world is still unsure whether those who are doing the damage could pay these right.
This situation shows how AI could be a two polar opposite impact, one optimistic and the other negative. Fake stories could spread online and feel believable, because well, AI is technology.
The post is a pat on the back of those who are threatened by the growing gig economy. When fake stories like these align with existing skepticism, people are more likely to perceive them as true or real. That means brands could suddenly find themselves in the wrong before they even know it.
But the main question is, why are there people doing this? What is their motive? Hungry for money? In the wrong ways.
The executives of the food delivery platforms did the right thing by responding quickly and positioning the companies where they should be. In the deleted post that went viral now, it is interesting to note that no company names were dropped. But it is just the right decision for Uber Eats and DoorDash to speak up before the flames get worse.
Moving on, it is important for netizens to stay responsible for the things they post. While they can express and uphold the values of free speech, they must think before they click, since the aggrieved groups could anytime seek compensation for the damages.
The controversial post read, “If a driver usually logs on at 10 PM and accepts every garbage $3 order instantly without hesitation, the algo tags them as ‘High Desperation.’ Once they are tagged, the system then deliberately stops showing them high-paying orders… The logic is: 'Why pay this guy $15 for a run when we know he’s desperate enough to do it for $6?’”
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